A concert including the Islamic call to prayer has been turned away from Nelson’s cathedral after its dean said it “was not Christian”. The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace is a contemporary anti-war composition, dedicated to victims of the Kosovo crisis and is based on the Catholic Mass, and includes texts from other religious Read more
New Zealand
Crowded House song given new life to aid refugees
Tuesday, September 15th, 2015New Zealand/Australian pop group Crowded House and British journalist Pete Paphides have re-released Help Is Coming with all proceeds going to Save The Children to support the global refugee crisis. The track, which had previously only seen the light of day on the rarities compilation Afterglow, was released in 1999 but has been giving new Read more
Day opens eyes to richness of Islam
Tuesday, September 15th, 2015The Islam Open Day held at Aotea Square in central Auckland yesterday aimed to allow people to discover the world of Islam from different perspectives and featured exhibitions on art, religion, science, history, society and culture as well as food and clothing stalls. The open day marked the end of Islam Awareness Week, presented by Read more
Annulment simplified but grounds unchanged – Cardinal Dew
Friday, September 11th, 2015
“The Synod gathering in 2014 discussed simplifying the process for people and I’m pleased to see that Pope Francis has been able to move on this fairly quickly after that discussion,” said Cardinal John Dew, Moderator of the Marriage Tribunal. He was speaking after Pope Francis announced that the marriage annulment process is to be Read more
Appeal launched to restore heritage cathedral presbytery
Friday, September 11th, 2015
For 130 years the large two-storey brick building on the corner of Wyndham and Hobson Sts in Auckland’s central city has been home for the Catholic priests based at St Patrick’s Cathedral. This historical building is the longest, continually lived in residence in the central city. A Category A heritage building (Heritage NZ – register Read more
Syria – Morally indefensible not to help where I can
Friday, September 11th, 2015
My role, as a journalist, should be to act as a witness; to report on the situation as a bystander and then leave it as I found it,” says journalist Rachel Smalley. “But an incident in 2013 changed my perspective on the Syrian crisis, and I now find it morally indefensible not to help where Read more
McCoskrie: I never wanted Into the River banned
Friday, September 11th, 2015The head of the Christian lobby group Family First said he never demanded the award-winning book Into the River be banned. Bob McCoskrie told Radio NZ this morning that Family First had wanted censors to reinstate the book’s R14 rating, which had been removed last month, and require that the book carry a warning sticker. Read more
Funding quest has school jumping
Friday, September 11th, 2015They’re jumping for joy, and hopefully some dollars too, at St Joseph’s School Stratford this month. “We have organised a jump rope day for the whole school,” explains Raine Peterson-Semenoff. Raine and the rest of his classmates in Room 8 at the school, have been working hard planning a fun filled “Jump Rope for Heart”: Read more
Govt should put Christian refugees top of queue
Friday, September 11th, 2015The Government would do well to rethink how it selects refugees coming to New Zealand says Pastor Michael Hewat While he agrees impartiality is regarded as one of the fundamental principles of humanitarian action, he believes that in the current situation in the Middle East and North Africa, need and religious belief are inextricably linked. Continue Read more
Hamilton priest threatens legal action against Bishop
Tuesday, September 8th, 2015
A priest in the diocese of Hamilton in New Zealand, Father Alex Kapiarumala, is threatening legal action against Bishop Steve Lowe. A letter explaining that Kapiarumala no longer had permission to exercise ministry in the diocese and detailing allegations that had been made against him has been read out to congregations and put on noticeboards Read more